On this day in Yorkshire 1947

David Clay

Published:14:09Tuesday 20 September 2016

Share this article

Yorkshireman Buys a Famous Car Firm

Mr. David Brown, managing director of David Brown and Sons (Huddersfield), Ltd. and David Brown Tractors, Ltd., Meltham, has bought the designs, tooling, stock, work-in-progress and service departments of the new 2 and a half-litre motor car of Lagonda, Ltd.

Lagonda distributors were told last month that production of the new model was suspended, because the double purchase tax imposed last June had increased the selling price by £800.

Mr. Brown, in a statement yesterday, said he had acquired the Lagonda company because he was unwilling to see such a potentially valuable export business pass out of existence.

He continued: “I believe that with any such typical high-class British product as Lagonda we have, at once, the proper expression of the inventive genius of British engineering brains, and the traditional pride and skill of British workmen, a combination which no other country has achieved.

“This, in my opinion, provides a substantial part of our answer to the export drive, not only during present difficulties, but in days to come.”

A car which sold now at £2,200 was obviously labelled “for export only.” Experience had proved that while America could make big, roomy cars easily and cheaply, they had not yet come to the job of building a smaller, fast and silent car.

That is the market I want,” Mr. Brown added. “and I have in my pocket already orders for £400,000 for export”

The Lagonda factory at Staines, Middlesex, was sold last month, and negotiations for tlie sale of the car equipment have continued since.